May the odds be in Embers favour
by RainbowRunaway
Summary: 'The hunger games, a terrifying fight to the death with 23 people I have never and will never know' she thought to herself 'I must go' Ember has always heard stories about the arena, ever since she was a child, ones about people volunteering and ones about people having to be dragged through the doors of the building, but there was one thing Ember knew, it didn't matter what she d


My eyes opened slowly from my sleeping state. I could hear the occasional sound of feet walking on the jagged ground outside my house, it wasn't really a home, just a house that me, my siblings, my mum and my grandparents had to live in. My dad was off in some other district working as a peace keeper for the capitol so we didn't really see him often at all. I lifted the thin sheets of my tired body and placed m feet on the ground, trying to stand without a wobble in my step.

I cleaned myself up, making sure I splashed my face with water, and got into the clothes my mum had placed on the old wooden chair beside my bed where my parents would always sit if they were telling me a bedtime story of trying to calm me down from one of my nightmares. I slipped the purple floral dress that my mum had picked out onto my broad body and looked down at the black kitten heel shoes that my mum had put down. I do love my mum but she doesn't understand me. She believes that the women should stay at home cooking and cleaning while the men go off and work I places like the nut or as a peace keeper, I, on the other hand, did not think that. I got out of the dress that my mum had given me and put on a pair of black leggings and a grey t-shirt that reached down to the middle of my thighs. I searched around for some shoes to wear and came across a pair of black pumps that used to be my mums and put them on, at least she'll be okay with me wearing them, and it's better then wearing my combat boots. I stood in front of a rusty, that had seen better days, and examined myself. Suddenly, I saw something move in the corner of my eye so I turned around to face the door and there a saw my younger brother, Nevie, holding a silver item in his hand. "What's that you got there, Nevster?" I asked him while bending down I front of him so we were the same height. "I made this for you, well, Aidie helped me make it for you," he said while holding out the silver item which I could now see was a bracelet. It was a piece of black, thin rope that had small metal beads threaded onto it. "Thank you, Nevie," I took the bracelet from him and placed it onto my wrist. A perfect fit. "I thought you could use it as a good luck charm for today, when," I could here his voice shaking a bit, he may only be younge, but he still understands the great risks of the games and getting reaped. "Come on, let's go down stairs," I said trying to get off the subject and taking his hand, leading him down stairs.

We went down the stairs that lead to the kitchen where we saw our sister, Aidie. She was now too old to be reaped but she still wore a dress for the event. "Hey," she said with her soft voice "mums in the living room with grandma and grandpa,". I walked into the room where suddenly all heads turned to stare at me, and then, I could see my mums face turn from a smile to a frown. "I'm sorry if the outfit I lade out for you wasn't good enough," she stated in a sarcastic and annoyed tone "but I will not let you walk outside wearing something like that! How unladylike of you to wear that!" Sometimes I swear she was raised in the Capitol. "Listen, maybe I don't want to be 'ladylike' like you are maybe I want to go out and wor-"

"You don't dare!"

"Mum, I want to work. I don't want to be stuck inside cooking and cleaning,"

"Well if your so sure you could work then why don't you go out and prove it!"

"Fine, maybe I will! I might even volonteer for the hunger games!"

"Go ahead! See if I care!"

"Okay then, I will!" And with that I walked into the kitchen, I just wanted to het away from her right now.

We walked to the main hall where the reaping would take place, but even though it was quite a long walk, no one really spoke, there was the occasional chatter but that was it. When we got there my family stayed at the back while I went to sign in. They took my name, finger print and a bit of blood then went to find my section which would be _girl 15._ I found my spot in amongst the group of girls in my class at school, I could pretty much class them all as friends, but the only thing is I don't have any really close friends. We waited until the escort from the Capitol, Blondie Valintine, came onto stage and gave the speech which all of us had listened to amillion times. The video played and then the Panem anthem played, signifying it was the end, and that now was the time that people had waited and dreaded for. "As usual, lady's first!" Blondie said in her high pitched and too-perky-for-my-liking voice. She walked over to the large clear bowl that was filled with pieces of folded paper, each one with someone's name on. She dug her hand into the bowl and picked out a piece of paper making sure he pinkie was pointing outwards. Blondie walked back over to the microphone and unfolded the piece of paper "Violet O'Donald," She read off the paper. I recognised the name, she had been waiting to go into the games for a while now, she must be so happy. Then, I looked back at my mum, she had a smile across her face, but it wasn't quite a relieved smile, it looked more like a smirk, then I remembered our conversation earlier. I needed to volonteer, I needed to, nut there was this feeling inside which was stopping me. I wanted to go into the games, I really did, but maybe it was guilt that I would take Violet's place even though she must be so excited. Before I could think, the words just flew out of me like a waterfall, a very loud waterfall at that "I volonteer,". My hand rose upwards automatically as I went walking down towards the main hall. I walked up the steps where Blondie greeted me and asked "What's your name?" And I answered back, my voice shaking a little "Ember Kirswell,". I looked down towards Violet, expecting to see a face full of disgust and envy, but no, she looked almost relieved, very relieved infact. So relieved that I even questioned if I had made the right choice or not. Then, I looked towards my mum, she looked terrified and scared, like she was about to throw up. I felt a warm tear run down my cheek and onto the ground "That's a lovely name, darling," Then she walked over to the bowl filled with the boys names. She picked out a name and walked over to the microphone to open the piece of paper like last time. "Angelo Carter," the name screeched through the speakers. A saw a young boy with short brown hair and grey eyes walk up onto the stage. Blondie greeted him onto stage and then gestured for us to shake hands. His touch was warm, but that didn't hide the fact that we were both shaking like crazy. "Panem today, Panem tomorrow, Panem forever," Blondie finished just before we got dragged through the doors of the main hall. I took one more glance at my family, wondering if I would ever see them again. What had I got ton myself into?


End file.
